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25 Best Fall Hair Colors That Will Look Stunning on Women of Every Age

 

Transition to honey browns, warm blondes, and more gorgeous autumn-inspired shades.

When fall rolls around—bringing cooler temperatures, pumpkin spice lattes, and earth-toned sweaters—there’s a good chance you’re going to want to switch up your hair color.

“People tend to want to put color back in after all the summer fading and lightening,” says Rex Jimieson, color educator and colorist at Maxine Salon in Chicago. “The best way to do this is with lowlights and tone. It essentially makes the light pieces pop and fixes brassiness, which comes from colors bleaching out to be too solid. It works for blondes, brunettes, and redheads alike.”

While autumn hues like caramel browns and deep reds might come to mind, experts say it’s all about transitional colors, taking your hair from the sunny highlights of summer to a deep, darker color by winter. Instead of making the leap all at once, easing into a new shade is a great idea, according to Ryan Pearl, a professional stylist and Redken brand ambassador. A go-to among celebs? Strawberry blonde. “This color is a very light blonde with a slight overcast of a red or copper tone,” says Pearl. “You’ll see it on a lot of celebrities because it’s an amazing transitional color.”

If you had your heart (and hair!) set on something a bit darker or bolder, hair experts recommend going for rich reds, levels of black, or lush glossy browns. Aaron Bradford, colorist at Cedric Salon in NYC, recommends a color he’s dubbed “caramel dreams.” “This is great for brunettes who want to experiment with their look without committing to it long term,” he explains.

Ahead, explore expert-recommended fall hair color ideas that will take your locks to a whole new level.

Strawberry Blonde

You’ll see a ton of celebrities wear this strawberry blonde color for a brief period of time as they transition their color, says Pearl. Amy Adams is always a classic when we think of strawberry blonde.

Caramel Dreams

Bradford says this color is perfect for brunettes who want to play with their look without committing to anything super long-term. Since this is a natural, low maintenance balayage, retouches need only be done every four months, he says.

Two-Toned Gray

If you want to prolong your next hair appointment by choosing a color that will blend in with your natural roots, go for a two-toned gray. “We’re seeing a lot of high contrast colors, which is perfect for clients asking for a multi-dimensional fall look,” says Karissa Schaudt, a colorist at Maxine Salon in Chicago.

Dimensional Black

Black hair is a point of envy, says Leigh Hardges, stylist at Maxine Salon in Chicago. “It’s always shiny and sleek looking,” she says. This color blends subtle shade shifts, like espresso, jet black, and deep chocolate to create a sultry look, she says.

Champagne Blonde

The slightest hint of pink and nuances of gold help to make this bubbly hue perfect for fall. “After being lifted to the lightest blonde the hair is toned using foils or by layering two toners to come up with this side yet sexy blonde trend,” says Hardges.

Dark-Rooted Blonde

“This look lets you enjoy all the ‘more fun’ that blondes have while not stressing about touching up your roots,” says Brittany Johnson of Mayvenn Hair, adding that this blonde is not too warm or cool, but comfortably in the middle. “Ask your stylist for a neutral, champagne-colored toner, and keep brass away at home using purple shampoo between touch-ups.”

Subtle Brunette Balayage

This shade is ideal for a natural brunette, like level two or three, says Hardges. “This trend leaves most of the hair as dark brown but with minimal hand-painted highlights that are slightly lighter to create a rich and lustrous color.”

Garnet

Yup, you read that right. Hardges says it’s another shade that lends itself well to naturally dark hair colors. “This shade doesn’t require high-lift color and can be done in most cases without bleach,” she says. “Adding lowlights to this color as a base will give great shine and dimension.”

Blonde-Gray

Meryl Streep is one of many celebrities to embrace their gray roots in the last year. Let your gray grow gracefully by blending with your soft blonde base for a stylish look come autumn.

Deep Chocolate Brown

You don’t have to go super dark just because winter is approaching. Tone down your brown strands with a deep chocolate brown that feels crisp and fall-ready.

Natural Copper

Bradford says this is a classic look that is perfect year-round but works especially well in the fall heading into winter. “This is especially nice for natural blondes who want to experiment with new shades!” he says. “Maintenance will be every four weeks to keep the color as vibrant as possible.”

Cool Silver Hair

Embrace those grays by blending silver color with your gray roots. The result is a cool silver that will make you look trendy at any age, like the gorgeous Helen Mirren.

Blonde With Caramel-Toned Roots

Jen Smack, stylist at Privé, says adding dimensional and soft highlights to darker hair will give you a soft, low maintenance glow. “Caramel-toned rooted blonde can also aid as a softer transition for the cooler season,” she says.

Honey Brown

“There is a thin line between a dark blonde and a light brown and this color sits right in the middle,” says Pearl. “I like to describe it as a really dark blonde, but with hints of brunette and warm reflective tones.” We love this fall hair color, with subtle, warm tones that are sure to flatter any skin tone.

White Dreadlocks

Whoopi Goldberg said goodbye to her dark brunette hair and unveiled faux-white dreadlocks on The View a while back, and we can’t get the trendy hair out of our minds! The milky-white dreadlocks are perfect for any age, but especially if you have gray roots coming in.

Chic Streak Hair

Own those gray strands! Stacy London embraced a silver streak while keeping the rest of her hair dark for a chic, contrasted look that is totally timeless.

Mushroom Blonde

Bradford describes this fall hair color as an iteration of earthy, ashy blonde. “To achieve this, the hair must be highlighted to a pale blonde then toned with an ashy formula,” he says. “Keep in mind that this can be a damaging process if not done correctly and best reserved for hair textures that aren’t naturally dry or coarse. Maintenance will consist of a toner every four weeks to keep the highlights as ashy as possible since they will fade warm.”

Golden Honey Highlights

Honey highlights are always popular in the fall, and 2021 is no exception. Take a page out of Jennifer Lopez’s book with and keep that warm glow alive through the colder months.

Glossy Brunette With Caramel Undertones

Ask for a demi-permanent gloss for maximum shine, says Bradford. “This look is great for hiding damaged, dull hair if that’s something you’re struggling with,” he says. “I recommend this look only for natural brunettes, retouch is every four weeks for most vibrant results.”

Light Blonde With Shadow Root

Pearl says this is a perfect fall hair color for light blondes who want to maintain their bright color. “Muting your roots a bit with a darker shadow root is a great way to stay blonde but transition to fall,” he says.

Almost-Black Brown

For an almost-black color, this deep-dark brown pairs well with creamy complexions, says Pearl. “This rich brown color screams fall and works well with most cooler skin tones,” he says.

Spicy Auburn

If auburn and red got married, the result would be spicy auburn. This light, maroon-red look is definitely bold, but “rocking a fresh bright ‘do is going to be the way that so many women break free” after more than a year of staying at home, Johnson says. “Using a color-safe shampoo and keeping your hair moisturized will keep this tone bright in between salon appointments.”

Steel Gray

For a more subtle transition to gray, opt for this bold, steel hue. Have your colorist add dark gray highlights to your black-and-gray base to create this dark fall color. It is timeless!

Mocha

This mocha hair color is reminiscent of Starbucks’ salted caramel mocha latte. This autumn-inspired color involves a medium-to-deep brown base that is painted with highlights and lowlights to add dimension.

Bold Red

A bold red looks great year-round, but there’s just something about this shade that works for fall. Tina Campbell nails the bright, colorful red hue—this style looks great on short hair, and can be dulled down for a more subtle effect.